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Pro Tools Controller May Be Coolest iPhone App Ever (VIDEO)

gizmodo.com — Here's a killer application that fully realizes the possibilities of touch surfaces as specialized control interfaces: ProRemote converts the iPhone or the iPod touch in a wireless control for Pro Tools LE with realtime feedback. We talked with Alex Lelievre about when to expect the beta and the final version.

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  • burstaneurysm, on 12/12/2007, -0/+18That is very, very cool.
  • happyseamonster, on 12/12/2007, -7/+1I like that it can be done... but, why?
    • 7012, on 12/12/2007, -3/+10RTFA. Not every musician sits in front of their PC / Mixer when recording.
      • stalefries, on 12/12/2007, -1/+4Plus, touchscreen devices are a great way to make an input device, without having to replace a keyboard.
      • senatorpjt, on 12/12/2007, -3/+4All I saw it do was function as a volume knob.
        • Billistic, on 12/12/2007, -2/+6You're the reason why the world sucks.
        • apolloandi, on 12/12/2007, -2/+2exactly, its just not practical. when will i be using protools but not close enough to my computer or board to adjust a fader?
          never.
          im a cubase guy anyways
      • sirbeta, on 12/12/2007, -1/+2I think a tablet would be better suited though? More room for extra controls, etc.. While this is cool, I really doubt exactly how practical it is.
        • RedS0x, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1However, carrying a tablet PC in your pocket is extremely practical.
          • sirbeta, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2And where would you be taking your Pro Tools controller? Unless you're implying that artists use/want to use Pro tools in the coffee shop or some other place, far away from their actual equipment, the tablet would be quite functional in a sense you can move around with great ease through the studio and still have complete control over pro tools.
  • anchorman, on 12/12/2007, -0/+20There is going to be some killer remote controls in the future if they adopt this technology.
    • PATSCRU, on 12/12/2007, -5/+4I'm no spambot, There already is a great touchscreen control surface for audio applications...and it looks much more star trek which is an automatic 10000 points: the jazzmutant lemur and dexter:
      jazzmutant.com
      • KSUdesigner, on 12/12/2007, -0/+6Yeah, and those are upwards of $3,000.
  • gorytunes, on 12/12/2007, -4/+6they need to make this for cubase users as well
    • hiphoc, on 12/12/2007, -6/+8No one cares about cubase users.
      • PATSCRU, on 12/12/2007, -2/+18I'm a cubase/nuendo user and have been for about 10 years and I work professionally on major label products out here in LA. There is a sizable community of cubase/nuendo users in the professional audio world, and we have no problem with protools users, and often have to migrate files back and forth between programs. Every program has its strengths and weaknesses, and i guess that every thread on the internet has a resident douche troll.
        • hiphoc, on 12/12/2007, -1/+2Not a douche troll. Just being silly. I actually used nuendo for a while and I thought it was amazing. Cost wise Pro Tools/ Logic is my choice. But nuendo was amazing, the plug ins were great and it was very intuitive. I had a bootleg china town copy and used it without a DAW on an old mac book. The fact that this was the first recording software I used, I got it up and running without a manual. I couldnt say that for pro tool or logic. When I turn pro/get more money. I definitely want to check out cubase and nuendo. Right now I am logic, and Pro tools. I used DP in music school but I dont mess with it much today. You are right, every program has its benefits and drawbacks.

          Oh yea what projects are you working on? I need a studio gig. Got some great advice from Tony Maserati a while back and now I am trying to get into Sony in the NYC. Drop me an email dude!!!
        • GliTCH82, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1Curious, what do you think of Reason? 4.0 just came out. Are there a lot of people using that professionally?
          • stizz, on 12/12/2007, -0/+3Not in America. However I saw Billy Corgan in Los Angeles last year and his live show was all midi from an iMac running Reason 3. Before the show began, a stage hand came out and loaded 9 or so different reason files. His drummer had a midi kit and even though there were others up on stage it was practically a one man show.
            I just got my hands on Reason 4, it plays really nice my Pro Tools 7.3
          • apolloandi, on 12/12/2007, -0/+3i use reason 4 and cubase together all the time. with all my refills and other vsts i dont think theres a single sound i cant make
    • MortalynFlux, on 12/12/2007, -3/+5Cubase has native VST functionality. This allows you to save all your tracks as one project, tracks which you can then modify as you build your mix. Pro-tools does not. End of story.
      • Raytown, on 12/12/2007, -0/+4LOL You've got to be kidding me. Cubase is a sequencer. Pro Tools is an Audio Suite, more people in the professional recording world use Pro Tools and it is practically a standard.

        I also used to use Cubase and Nuendo when I first started recording but its seriously is lacking in the editing department.

        I'm what you call an "Organic" musician I "overdub" the songs I write one track at a time. The music I write ranges from Country to Hip-Hop. Since I have my own studio and know how to play a wide variety of instruments in a wide variety of styles Pro tools allows me the flexibility to compose, perform, record, and produce in any situation. And just to let you know you can save your song at any time as a .pst (Pro Tools Session) file and even have a centralized FTP server that you can access your project from and gives everybody else in the production chain the ability to edit the session at any time.
        • apolloandi, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2youre right, cubase sucks, you cant even record track at a time or save your scheduled backup to ftp. and who makes vsts anyways? oh wait...
        • CroMag, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1I agree about Pro-Tools, but your music must be AWFUL. Country to hip hop. WOW, sounds grrrrrreaaat.
        • Raytown, on 12/13/2007, -0/+1lol It's really kind of hard to explain, but I have the ability to create the music in my head first and then record it. All of my songs have come to me randomly, and it's like my brain "tuned" into a radio station or something because I hear the whole song. Since I've played a lot of different styles of music it's relatively easy for me to record it after practicing what I hear in my head so I can convey the "feeling" of the style that I'm playing so it sounds genuine.

          Don't get me wrong Hip-Hop is definitely not my strong point, but I've had to produce Hip-Hop projects before and I've never had any complaints ;). I have also studied Indian music and they hear 22 "shruti" or "microtones", where as in our western Chromatic scale we only hear 12. It doesn't mean that when I write a Metal song that my music sounds like I'm playing Indian music. It just gives me more musical knowledge to grab songs out of the air from.

          Surprisingly enough the songs that come to me that I decide to record are VERY simple. Because after all the hard work and practice and study, I've learned that it's not a competition to see who's the best, its a quest to create an emotional connection with as many people as possible and try to get them to understand where your coming from.
        • MortalynFlux, on 03/17/2008, -0/+1If you are producing for a band in a collaborative environment, yeah, Pro Tools is probably your thing. But if you are composing at home or in a small studio, where space, money, and electrical power requirements are limited, Cubase is a great tool. You can do everything, to include DSP, speaker emulation, amp emulation, mike emulation, software synths, samplers, virtual pianos, virtual organs, and an endless amount of other things all inside your Cubase project through VST.

          Software synthesizer control changes, sampler settings, volume changes, dsp settings, speaker emulation settings, signal routing, and other third-party plug in settings are all saved into the project, and you can go back and tweak anything you need to without messing with midi, synth hardware, or even guitar amps.

          http://www.nativeinstruments.com
          http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=gui ...
      • inactionman, on 12/12/2007, -0/+0What? VST functionality is support for the VST plug-in / instrument format. It has nothing to do with save formats. Real end of story.
        • MortalynFlux, on 03/17/2008, -0/+1I said "save your tracks as one project." In other words, software synthesizer control changes, sampler settings, volume changes, dsp settings, speaker emulation settings, signal routing, and so forth are all saved into the project, and you can go back and tweak anything you need to without messing with midi or synth hardware. Who said anything about file format?

          If you are producing for a band in a collaborative environment, yeah, Pro Tools is probably your thing. But if you are composing at home or in a small studio, where space, money, and electrical power requirements are limited, Cubase is a great tool. You can do everything, to include DSP, speaker emulation, amp emulation, mike emulation, software synths, samplers, virtual pianos, virtual organs, and an endless amount of other things all inside your Cubase project through VST.

          http://www.nativeinstruments.com
          http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=gui ...

          Cubase and Pro Tools are complex tools that require the use of both the right and left side of your brain (figuratively speaking). Anyone that learns them and uses them is not a dummy. Just because you disagree with someone does not make them a dummy. Doing something creative that engages and develops both the logical and artistic aspects of your intelligence is way better than watching, say, American Idol on T.V.... or making senseless comments on Digg, for that matter.
      • CroMag, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1Only home based musicians, "dj's" and general hacks use Cubase. Do you sit at Starbucks and do "ambient" music on Cubase also?

        Dummy.
        • MortalynFlux, on 03/17/2008, -0/+1If you are producing for a band in a collaborative environment, yeah, Pro Tools is probably your thing. But if you are composing at home or in a small studio, where space, money, and electrical power requirements are limited, Cubase is a great tool. You can do everything, to include DSP, speaker emulation, amp emulation, mike emulation, software synths, samplers, virtual pianos, virtual organs, and an endless amount of other things all inside your Cubase project through VST.

          http://www.nativeinstruments.com
          http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=gui ...

          Cubase and Pro Tools are complex tools that require the use of both the right and left side of your brain (figuratively speaking). Anyone that learns them and uses them is not a dummy. Just because you disagree with someone does not make them a dummy. Doing something creative that engages and develops both the logical and artistic aspects of your intelligence is way better than watching, say, American Idol on T.V.... or making senseless comments on Digg, for that matter.
  • spargett, on 12/12/2007, -9/+43$150 for that? No thanks. I'd rather reach a foot past the phone and just move the slider myself.

    Besides, I could spend the $150 on coke for all the bitches hanging out while we're tracking. Thats money well spent.
    • autoy, on 12/12/2007, -0/+6I agree on the price comments but keep in mind that "pro" musicians pay 5 times that for a deeser plugin and such. 150 $ is pocket change for them.
      On the other hand I'm shure someone can come up with a Mackie Control universal controller for any other audio workstation like Cubase or Logic. The midi controller for the rest of us, heh.
      • jeffchuck, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2"I'm shure"
        Been thinking too much about audio companies?
    • aelias, on 12/12/2007, -1/+3A high end remote surface can reach 20 times that amount. This is under 500, all in with software purchase, and it's ***** cooler and more useful in a small studio than everything that has come before it. I want to wait for the bigger one, but this may be too useful to pass up. Amazing.
  • TriviallyTravis, on 12/12/2007, -5/+3Looks useful...
    =(
  • slightlyoffbeat, on 12/12/2007, -0/+5That is awesome...and I'm not sure why.
  • pak314, on 12/12/2007, -1/+15For $150 can't you buy one of those specialty controllers? Something with real tactile knobs and buttons?
    • PATSCRU, on 12/12/2007, -1/+4yes, yes you can. Stuff by m-audio and behringer, used by daft punk no less will run you even less than that.
      • mjn23, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1not with protools. It doesn't use standard midi interfaces for much more than simple note on/off and velocity input. Midi can't handle the controls of a pt mix.
    • aelias, on 12/12/2007, -0/+3It's about flexibility. Give one to each guy/girl in the band, with a different sub mix for each one. "Here you go, you want more you? Turn yourself up."
      Much easier than running all those aux splits with headphone send/mix consoles. If wireless headphones were actually viable, it would be the perfect combo.
    • Raytown, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1Yeah you can even buy a Tascam Controller. It's a little more retail ($499), and for Pro Tools doesn't allow you to "record" using the inputs. But it does work as a FULLY featured MIDI control surface for Pro Tools, and they're going on eBay for about $150. Check it out.

      http://tiny.cc/9e4ux
  • skinrock, on 12/12/2007, -1/+6I'm not discouraged by the $150 tag, because it seems pretty useful for its target audience. I'm just impressed to see something like this before the SDK is even out. Kudos to the developer.
  • bbmcg10, on 12/12/2007, -1/+4Its actually really useful because the engineer can be onstage mixing monitors and patching without having to constantly run back to the board...its usually done with laptops. Man I'd love to have this...
  • Reaktor5, on 12/12/2007, -3/+2Sonar, ftw!
  • tylermoyn, on 12/12/2007, -1/+4Fully Realizes? All you do is move a slider up and down... I think the only thing so far to "fully realize" the touch screen is the pinch technique used in photos or Google Maps...
  • theHealingTree, on 12/12/2007, -1/+3As an avid protools user, ive gotta say, this actually makes me want to by an iphone.
  • autoy, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1Die Lemur!
  • ocellnuri, on 12/12/2007, -2/+2All of the sudden, Microsoft Sideshow has a lot to live up to... and thanks to a hacked application no less. (not trying to MS bash, I use both, it's just the only other tech like this I know of)
    • LordBoreal51, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1I really don't see how Sideshow has anything to do with this...
      • ocellnuri, on 12/13/2007, -0/+1Sideshow uses small displays to display information from, and control the actions of, a computer. Most of the applications I've seen are displaying photos, e-mail, and playing music. I'd love to see the platform pushed to the level of what this iPhone app is accomplishing, but I don't know how open the platform is to development.
  • bakefy, on 12/12/2007, -0/+3*****, I cut lines with my iPhone, thats a killer app. (no pun intended)
  • autoy, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2Quoting the developer:
    "Also planned is the ability to hit two faders at the same time but this will be the limit. My software should work fine with Logic or any other app that supports the Mackie HUI protocol. I do plan to support all these DAWs after the initial release (and make the remote look like the app) and eventually will allow other developers to add support for their favorite DAWs too."
    So, good news, it uses Mackie Universal. This is going to be awsome.
  • definetheline, on 12/12/2007, -3/+2Soon we are going to be edited major motion films from our phones.
  • clickmyface, on 12/12/2007, -1/+3coolest iphone app ever? One that is fairly novel and applies only to those who use protools? No.
  • senatorpjt, on 12/12/2007, -2/+25I'd rather see it to connected to one of those home automation systems where you can adjust the thermostat, control the lights, etc.
  • konartis, on 12/12/2007, -2/+0great idea. LE has limited tracks anyway, even with the (somewhat) recently cracked Le bonus packs.
    the screen should do fine.
    PT is looking very good for cheapskates (with an iPhone...) :-)
  • drmobutu, on 12/12/2007, -0/+3It's a little early to say "ever". More like "so far"...
  • amoo3, on 12/12/2007, -1/+3Looks like a specialized VNC client that works with only 1 application at a a little bit faster speeds. Nothing new here (Unless of course im missing something)
  • Tyr7BE, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2"it shows that having this kind of power in such a tiny package could solve the problems of many users."

    What's been stopping them from making this for every other phone out there in the last 3 years? The iPhone specs aren't fantastic, and you could do up just as good an interface minus the touch screen in Java. I remember seeing a bunch of projects for people to do things like control their computer using their Blackberry through bluetooth. I also once saw a guy rig up his house so he could switch his lights on and off using a blackberry app. So what's the big deal about this app?
    • B1663r, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1It has an iPhone in it and Apple is running wall to wall Macintosh commercials on Comedy central for last couple of weeks. Therefor it is digg worthy.
    • sonicbliss, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1How many phones out there with iphone/ipod touch screen size? plus you can rotate horizontal. also pushing some gay little buttons wont compare to sliding with your finger. the screens a pretty big deal i think. how u execute is very important. plus its Apple ;)
  • OwlBoy, on 12/12/2007, -2/+1This is why we need an SDK.
  • Darkgh0st, on 12/12/2007, -0/+0Have you guys seen the prices on professional music-related ***** lately?? $150 is cheap
  • tftftf, on 12/12/2007, -1/+1What about LOGIC PRO?
  • pileofstraw, on 12/12/2007, -4/+2who cares. won't replace midi controllers and btw I hate iPhones.

    /endofsteaming
  • DigitAl56K, on 12/12/2007, -3/+5No self-respecting musician is going to be caught dead using an iPhone to do that.
    • DigitAl56K, on 12/12/2007, -3/+4Oh, getting dugg down for posting the truth, eh?

      I forgot this was the Apple section!
  • mikedaul, on 12/12/2007, -0/+5This is cool, but for $200 you could get a dedicated piece of hardware from Fronteir Designs to run your daw via wireless in real time:

    Transport:
    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TranzPort

    Alpha Track:
    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AlphaTrack

  • DigitAl56K, on 12/12/2007, -0/+3The iPhone is totally unsuitable for this. You can't even move more than two sliders independently at the same time.

    This is only $200 and has 8 sliders and 8 continuous rotaries plus midi through:
    http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHBCF2000
  • ComFyKeyKeY, on 12/12/2007, -2/+2if you own pro tools 150$ is a drop in the hat since most pro tool users are mac lovers anyway
  • mserna23, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2That's cool. But too bad Pro Tools doesn't work with Leopard yet ...

    http://digidesign.com/index.cfm?navid=48&itemid=28 ...

    I'm waiting for Digidesign to release a patch for Leopard.
    • slightlyoffbeat, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1Yup, I am waiting patiently as well
  • dsteinwedel, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2If you want a touchscreen controller for your DAW these guys are light years ahead of the iPhone chap.

    http://www.jazzmutant.com/

    Unfortunately it's not supported by Digi. But for those of you using just about anything else, have at it.
  • samsoffes, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1people who use pro tools can afford it. i wouldnt do anything (as far as spending money on iphone apps goes) until the sdk is out and apple is support 3rd party apps
    • tgoose, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2People who use Pro Tools won't be able to use this, unless the article is wrong.

      The article only mentions Pro Tools *LE*, which can probably be got for about £150 with the crappy Mbox Micro (I don't know prices and I can't be bothered to check.) Why anyone would pay *anything* for a piece of software like PT with such enormously limited editing facilities I don't know, but there it is.
  • brannvesenet, on 12/12/2007, -1/+0Maybe not a good idea to bring a cel phone into a studio, unless you want to hear that DA-DADI-DA-DADI-DA-DADI sound on your precious soul vocals...
  • Easternlight, on 12/12/2007, -0/+0Whilst thats a great nay fantastic effort (btw I own an itouch and think so far it's the bees knees, till a better bee mutates ofcourse) for those Pro Tools ( and indeed other music software program) users out there traped with a keyboard and mouse – I thought the combination of the following 2 products rather EXCITING. This requires a Wii remote and an infrared LED – you can use either a projector or LCD. Pls have a look I think this would be fantastic for homestudios.

    http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/iphone/proremote-pro-to ...
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ
  • diggymow, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2$150 Has to be a typo he won't sell a single copy. I use Pro Tools LE all the time for recording and yeah it would be useful.... maybe $15 useful... maybe.
    • bxyldy, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1yeah, but... it's avid / digidesign, remember?
  • jconsi, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2Nice app... no way is it worth $150. You could buy a more robust MIDI controller for that, with motorized faders. This app is more expensive than LEOPARD! Appreciate your effort, but not that much.
  • djh816, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1I'd much rather have a midi interface app to use with scratching software. The touchscreen would be perfect for that.
  • deftskier, on 12/12/2007, -0/+0Sweet replacement for a friend, just get someone to do it for you. But seriously, that looks really cool and I might have to try it.
  • JustinTense, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1Needs Cubase compatibility!
  • fludia, on 12/12/2007, -1/+0cat power!
  • toothpot, on 12/12/2007, -0/+2Guess there aren't many "cool" apps. Only show-offs need iphones.
  • PhillyVC, on 12/12/2007, -0/+0Who is the musician/band that is playing?
  • linuxbarista, on 12/12/2007, -0/+0F**k yeah!!!! Although $150 seems steep...
  • Pelon808, on 12/12/2007, -0/+1honestly.. you can get a USB or firewire control surface for a lot less than an iphone+software..
    also.. wireless keyboard = problem solved. much cheaper.
    you can also just use a laptop, especially drummers..
    they benefit the most from having remote controls.. but seriously.. its not something you would need to shell out cash like that for..
  • Codee, on 12/13/2007, -0/+1Looks like a sweet idea for Pro Tools.
    Here's even a sweeter deal if you own Cubase 4. (and a Mac with a remote)
    Cubase 4, already allows you to use your Apple Remote Controller for recording, transport, etc. Practically any function can get mapped to the Apple Remote, for even a better price. Free.
  • Easternlight, on 12/13/2007, -0/+0Just use this with your music software for a wider mixing desk... many more sliders and controls viewable at the same time ...

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ
  • nynexla, on 05/07/2008, -0/+0this is helpful for me I have to run back and forth to the vocal booth. If I could hit record, playback, delete, fix my headphone mix. this would be awesome. If it works in logic pro.
  •  

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